[The fatty acid composition of the gangliosides in different parts of the vertebrate brain].

Comparative studies on gangliosides from the brain of higher (mammals, birds) and lower (amphibians, cartilaginous and teleost fishes) vertebrates indicate that for each of the parts of the brain the same regularities in changes of fatty acid composition are typical as for the total brain in a series of vertebrates. All brain structures of the mammalian brain exhibit higher saturation of ganglioside fatty acids, higher content of stearic acid (C18:0) and lower relative content of long chain (C22-C24) fatty acids, especially that of C24:1, as compared to the corresponding brain structures of lower vertebrates. Fatty acid composition in birds is more close to mammalian one with respect to some of the features, while with respect to the other ones it occupies an intermediate position between lower vertebrates and mammals. In the series more phylogenetically ancient--more recent brain parts (medulla oblongata--midbrain--forebrain), the content of content of stearic acid and the degree of saturation ganglioside fatty acids increase, whereas the relative content of acids with a long chain (C22-C24) in them decreases (with the exception of amphibians). In all the brain structures of higher elasmobranch fishes, fatty acid composition of gangliosides exhibits more progressive features of chemical organization as compared to that in homologous structures of lower elasmobranch fishes.